Grace Murray Hopper


Early Life

Grace Hopper was born on December 9th, 1906 in New York City. Grace had two younger siblings and was of Scottish and Dutch descent. Grace attended the Hartridge School for her early education and then graduated from Yale in 1930 with a master's degree in Mathematics and Physics. She married Vincent Foster Hopper in 1930, and 15 years later they were divorced, but she chose to keep his last name. After finishing university in 1931, Hopper started teaching Math at Vassar College. Soon after, in 1943, Hopper tried to join the the Navy under a program called WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service). She was rejected due to her size and age, so instead she joined the Navy reserves.

Image of Young Grace Hopper

Dr. Grace Hopper, director, Systems Research, Remington Rand, half-length portrait, seated, facing front, smoking cigarette. 1961. Photograph. Source.